Slim mouse for mobile appliance and method for manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A slim mouse for mobile appliances includes a lower polymer film having a metal layer on an upper surface of the lower polymer film, an upper polymer film having a metal layer on a lower surface of the upper polymer film, a donut force sensor array including multiple force sensors, a weight-bumper spacer including a donut sensor portion and a click-detection sensor portion, a pad including a donut sensor portion and a click-detection sensor portion, and a click-detection force sensor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a slim mouse as an interface for mobileappliances, and more particularly to a slim mouse and a method formanufacturing the same, wherein the mouse can freely perform X, Y, andZ-direction movements, rotation, and clicking of a cursor on a screenusing a distribution of force of a tactile sensor for which it is easyto design to be slim.

2. Description of the Related Art

Currently, computer systems employ various types of input units toperform input operations. These operations generally include cursormovement and selection on a display screen and provide functions such aspage turning, scrolling, panning, and zooming.

Well-known input units include a button, a switch, a mouse, a trackball,a joystick, etc.

The button and switch are generally mechanical so that they are limitedin their control to move the cursor or make selections. For example, thebutton or switch provides only a function to move the cursor in aspecific direction using a key such as an arrow direction key or to makea specific selection using a key such as an enter key, delete key ornumber key.

When the user moves the mouse along the surface, an input pointer ismoved according to the relative movement of the mouse. When the usermoves the trackball within the housing, the input pointer is movedaccording to the relative movement of the trackball. A conventionalmultifunctional mouse, which provides the input pointer moving function,the selection function and the scroll function based on the positionrecognition as stated above, requires a relatively wide mouse pad suchas a desk or table. As a result, it is difficult to apply theconventional mouse based on the position recognition to mobile devicesbecause the mobile devices are limited in size.

On the other hand, the conventional joystick operates the cursor usingforce. The conventional joystick is also too thick to be applied tomobile devices which have gradually become slim. The conventionaljoystick is also limited in its design and development in considerationof a GUI environment.

Therefore, there is a need to develop an input unit, which detects X, Yand Z-direction movements and rotations of the cursor throughforce-based tactile sensing using a tactile sensor which can be slimmedas shown in FIG. 17, and an algorithm for the detection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the aboveneed, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a slimmouse for mobile appliances, which calculates the moving distance anddirection of the cursor by detecting contact force using a tactilesensor including multiple force sensors, thereby freely performing X, Y,and Z-direction movements, rotation, and clicking of the cursor, so thatit can be used as an interface device for slim devices such as mobilephones, and a method for manufacturing the same.

In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objectscan be accomplished by the provision of a slim mouse for mobileappliances using a tactile sensor including multiple force sensors, theslim mouse comprising a lower polymer film having a metal layer on anupper surface of the lower polymer film; an upper polymer film having ametal layer on a lower surface of the upper polymer film; a cursor donutforce sensor array including multiple force sensors, each including apair of resistance patterns, formed above and below the metal layers,the pair of resistance patterns being bonded together such that theresistance patterns oppose each other at a distance with a spacerbetween the resistance patterns; a weight-bumper spacer formed on theupper polymer film, the weight-bumper spacer including a donut sensorportion and a click-detection sensor portion; a pad formed on theweight-bumper spacer, the pad including a donut sensor portion and aclick-detection sensor portion; and a click-detection force sensorincluding a pair of resistance patterns formed under the click-detectionsensor portion. Here, the moving distance and direction of a mousecursor according to touching by a user are detected using the donutsensor portion and clicking is detected using the click-detection forcesensor.

The donut sensor portion and the click-detection sensor portion of eachof the weight-bumper spacer and the pad may be formed as a single bodyor may be formed as separate bodies to prevent errors in acquiring clickdetection and mouse moving distance detection signals.

The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a slimmouse for mobile appliances that detects clicking and a moving distanceand direction of a mouse cursor by detecting the magnitude and directionof force applied by touching of the mouse using a tactile sensorincluding multiple force sensors, the method comprising the steps offorming metal layers on an upper polymer film and a lower polymer film,respectively; forming resistance patterns on the metal layers to form alower pattern and an upper pattern; bonding the resistance patterns ofthe upper pattern and the lower pattern together such that theresistance patterns oppose each other at a distance with a spacerbetween the resistance patterns; and forming a pad and a weight-bumperspacer on an upper surface of the upper pattern.

Here, each of the pad and the weight-bumper spacer includes a donutsensor portion and a click-detection sensor portion. The donut sensorportion and the click-detection sensor portion of each of the pad andthe weight-bumper spacer may be formed as a single body or as separatebodies. The pad and the weight-bumper spacer may also be integrated tosimplify the mouse manufacturing processes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of thepresent invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a slim mouse for mobile appliances according tothe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a modification of the slim mouse for mobileappliances according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B′ of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 to 9 are sectional views illustrating sequential processes of amethod for manufacturing a slim mouse for mobile appliances according tothe invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates a photograph of a slim mouse for mobile appliancesmanufactured according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram illustrating signal processing of the slimmouse according to the invention;

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a method for implementing an algorithm forthe slim mouse for mobile appliances according to the invention;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating sequential processes of the methodfor implementing the algorithm for the slim mouse for mobile appliancesaccording to the invention;

FIGS. 15 and 16 are graphs showing the relation of the moving distanceof the cursor to the magnitude of force in the method for implementingthe algorithm for the slim mouse for mobile appliances according to theinvention; and

FIG. 17 illustrates a slim mouse which can perform rotations andmovements in X, Y, and Z directions using a tactile sensor includingmultiple force sensors according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a slim mouse for mobile appliances according tothe present invention and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken alongline A-A′ of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a mouse using a tactile sensor includingmultiple force sensors according to the invention is characterized inthat it includes upper patterns 20, lower patterns 10, multiple forcesensors S, a weight-bumper spacer 200, a pad 300, and a click-detectionforce sensor Sc and detects clicking and a moving distance and directionof the mouse cursor by detecting the magnitude and direction of forceapplied by touching of the user.

Here, metal layers 12 and 22 are formed on the upper surface of a lowerpolymer film 11 and the lower surface of an upper polymer film 21,respectively.

Multiple force sensors S, each including a pair of resistance patterns13 and 23, are provided above the metal layer 12 and under the metallayer 22. The pair of resistance patterns 13 and 23 faces each other ata distance by means of a spacer 30 between the metal layers 12 and 22.

The weight-bumper spacer 200 includes a donut sensor portion 200 a and aclick-detection sensor portion 200 b on the upper polymer film 21. Thepad 300 including a donut sensor portion 300 a and a click-detectionsensor portion 300 b is provided on the weight-bumper spacer 200.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the donut sensor portions 200 a and 300 a areformed in a ring shape, and the click-detection sensor portions 200 band 300 b are formed in the center of the ring shape of the donut sensorportions 200 a and 300 a. Further, the force sensors S are circularlydisposed along under the ring shape of the donut sensor portion 200 a.

The click-detection force sensor Sc includes a pair of resistancepatterns 13 and 23 formed under the click-detection sensor portion 200b. The resistance patterns 13 and 23 of the click-detection force sensorSc face each other at a distance by the spacer 30 between the metallayers 12 and 22.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the donut sensor portion 200 a and theclick-detection sensor portion 200 b each comprises a protruding bumper200 c, which protrudes toward the force sensor S and the click-detectionforce sensor Sc. Thus, the pressure exerted on the pad 300 and theweight-bumper spacer 200 can be accurately transferred to the forcesensor S and the click-detection force sensor Sc, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the donut sensor portion 300 a and theclick-detection sensor portion 300 b in each of the pad 300 and theweight-bumper spacer 200 are formed as a single body. The weight-bumperspacer 200 and the pad 300 can also be formed as a single body.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the donut sensor portions 200a and 300 a and the click-detection sensor portions 200 b and 300 b ofthe weight-bumper spacer 200 and the pad 300 may be formed as separatebodies to prevent errors in acquiring click detection and mouse movingdistance detection signals. Here, the weight-bumper spacer 200 and thepad 300 can also be formed as separate bodies.

FIGS. 5 to 9 are sectional views illustrating sequential processes of amethod for manufacturing a slim mouse for mobile appliances according tothe invention. The method according to the present invention is tomanufacture a mouse that detects clicking and a moving distance anddirection of the mouse cursor by detecting the magnitude and directionof force applied by touching of the mouse using a tactile sensorincluding multiple force sensors.

First, as shown in FIG. 6, metal layers 12 and 22 are formed on an upperpolymer film 21 and a lower polymer film 11 shown in FIG. 5,respectively.

Multiple resistance patterns 13 and 23 are then formed on each of theupper polymer film 21 and the lower polymer film 11 including the metallayers 12 and 22 formed thereon to form lower patterns 10 and upperpatterns 20 as shown in FIG. 7.

Here, the resistance patterns 13 and 23 can be formed throughdesensitizing ink coating or resistance material coating.

Then, the resistance patterns 13 and 23 of the upper patterns 20 and thelower patterns 10 are bonded together such that the resistance patterns13 and 23 oppose each other at a distance with a spacer 30 between theresistance patterns 13 and 23, thereby forming a tactile sensor portion.This bonding process can be performed using a double-coated tape or athermal adhesive tape for film adhesion. The resistance patterns 13 and23 may also be bonded together in contact with each other without thespacer 30.

Then, as shown in FIG. 9, a pad 300 and a weight-bumper spacer 200, eachincluding a donut sensor portion 200 a and a click-detection sensorportion 200 b provided at the center of the donut sensor portion 200 a,are formed on the upper surface of the upper patterns 20.

Here, the weight-bumper spacer 200 and the pad 300 may be sequentiallybonded on the tactile sensor portion 100. Alternatively, theweight-bumper spacer 200 and the pad 300 may be integrated and then bebonded on the tactile sensor portion 100.

Here, the donut sensor portions and the click-detection sensor portionsof the pad and the weight-bumper spacer may be formed as a single bodyor may be formed as separate bodies to prevent errors in click detectionand mouse detection signals.

FIG. 10 illustrates a photograph of the mouse manufactured by the aboveslim mouse manufacturing method according to the invention. The mouseincludes a click detection force sensor formed at the center andmultiple force sensors arranged at specific intervals around the clickdetection force sensor.

A method for acquiring signals using the tactile sensor portion of theslim mouse for mobile appliances of the invention described above willnow be described with reference to FIG. 11.

As shown in FIG. 11, force sensors R00, R01, R02, R03, and R04, eachincluding a pair of resistance patterns, output signals according totheir contact resistances due to external force.

First, the outputs of the force sensors R00, R01, R02, R03, and R04including the resistance patterns are multiplexed through a multiplexer(MUX). The multiplexed signal is applied to a negative (−) input of ananalog amplifier (OP AMP) and a ground voltage (V_(GND)) is applied to apositive (+) input of the analog amplifier.

An output (Vout) of the analog amplifier for the resistance A (R00) inFIG. 11 is expressed by the following equation.

$\begin{matrix}{V_{out} = {\frac{R_{f}}{R_{oo}}V_{In}}} & {{Mathematical}\mspace{14mu}{Expression}\mspace{14mu} 1}\end{matrix}$

When the tactile sensor having the multiple force sensors R00, R01, R02,R03, and R04 is touched, the contact resistances of the force sensorsare changed and their output signals according to the contactresistances are amplified through the analog amplifier (OP AMP) afterbeing multiplexed through the multiplexer. Thus, a contact signal can beacquired by detecting the amplified voltage.

A method for detecting the moving distance and direction of the mousecursor by detecting force through the resistance change measurementdescribed above will now be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14.

First, as shown in FIG. 12, first, second, third, and fourth sensors A₁,A₂, A₃ and A₄ have force vectors F₁, F₂, F₃, and F₄, respectively.

Then, the magnitude |F₁−F₃| of a vector ΔF₁ corresponding to the firstsensor and the magnitude |F₂−F₄| of a vector ΔF₂ corresponding to thesecond sensor are calculated as shown in FIG. 13. Here, the force vectorΔF₁ has an angle of 0° and the force vector ΔF₂ has an angle of 90°.

Then, the X-axis angle θ_(max) and magnitude |F_(max)| of a vectorF_(max) are calculated using the angles 0° and 90° and magnitudes|F₁−F₃| and |F₂−F₄| of the vectors ΔF₁ and ΔF₂.

Here, the magnitude |F_(max)| is defined as |ΔF₁|+|ΔF₂| or √{square rootover (|ΔF₁|²+|ΔF₂|²)}.

And,

$\theta_{\max} = {{\tan^{- 1}\left( \frac{{F_{2} - F_{4}}}{{F_{1} - F_{3}}} \right)}.}$The X-axis angle θ_(max) and the magnitude |F_(max)| are used to obtainthe direction and magnitude of force of the contact point.

Here, the X direction component of the contact point is |F₁−F₃|, whichis an X component of the vector F_(max), and the Y direction componentof the contact point is |F₂−F₄|, which is a Y component of the vectorF_(max). As a result, the moving distance of a mouse cursor in the Xdirection is |F₁−F₃| which is the X component of the vector F_(max), andthe moving distance of the mouse cursor in the Y direction is |F₂−F₄|which is the Y component of the vector F_(max).

As shown in the flow chart of FIG. 14, when touching of the tactilesensor is detected after a specific time “i” elapses, |F^(i) _(max)| and|θ^(i) _(max)| are sequentially calculated. Then, a position of thecursor (x_(i) ^(tot), y_(i) ^(tot)) is calculated using the calculated|F^(i) _(max)| and |θ^(i) _(max)|. Here, the cursor position is suchthat x_(i) ^(tot)=k^(i)|F^(i) _(max)|cos θ^(i) _(max) and y_(i)^(tot)=k^(i)|F^(i) _(max)|sin θ^(i) _(max). If touching of the tactilesensor is not detected after a specific time “i+1” elapses, theprocedure is terminated. If touching of the tactile sensor is detected,|F^(i+1) _(max)| and |θ^(i+1) _(max)| are sequentially calculated. Then,a position of the cursor (x_(i+1) ^(tot), y_(i+1) ^(tot)) is calculatedusing the calculated ∥F^(i+1) _(max)| and |θ^(i+1) _(max)|. Here, thecursor position is such that x_(i+1) ^(tot)=k^(i+1)|F^(i+1) _(max)|cosθ^(i+1) _(max) and y_(i+1) ^(tot)=k^(i+1)|F^(i+1) _(max)|sin θ^(i+1)_(max).

Moving distances Δx_(i) ^(tot) and Δy_(i) ^(tot) are calculated usingthe calculated x_(i+1) ^(tot) and y_(i+1) ^(tot), where Δx_(i)^(tot)=x_(i+1) ^(tot)−x_(i) ^(tot) and Δy_(i) ^(tot)=y_(i+1)^(tot)−y_(i) ^(tot) and k is a proportionality constant for eachspecific time.

Thereafter, it is detected whether or not the tactile sensor has beentouched. If touching is detected, the magnitude of the detected force isrecalculated. Otherwise, the procedure is terminated.

The slim mouse for mobile appliances of the present invention can obtainthe moving distance of the mouse cursor on the screen based on therelation of the moving distance of the cursor to the magnitude of theforce |F_(max)| as shown in FIG. 15. In addition, using the relation ofthe moving speed of the cursor in units of pixels to the magnitude ofthe force as shown in FIG. 16, the slim mouse can not only quickly movethe mouse cursor on the screen but also can detect fine movement of themouse cursor, thereby achieving smooth movement of the mouse cursor.

Clicking of the mouse is detected as the click-detection force sensorprovided at the center of the donut sensor portion is pressed.

As described above, the slim mouse for mobile appliances according tothe present invention can calculate the moving distance and direction ofthe cursor by detecting contact force using the tactile sensor includingmultiple force sensors, so that it can freely perform X, Y, andZ-direction movements, rotation, and clicking of the cursor. Thus, theslim mouse can be used as an interface device for mobile appliances thattend to be slim and spatially restricted. In addition, aesthetic micewith various designs can be easily developed since flexible tactilesensors are used.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1. A slim mouse for mobile appliances using a tactile sensor includingmultiple force sensors, the slim mouse comprising: a lower polymer filmhaving a first metal layer on an upper surface of the lower polymerfilm; an upper polymer film having a second metal layer on a lowersurface of the upper polymer film; a tactile sensor portion includingmultiple force sensors, each force sensor including a pair of firstresistance patterns formed on the first and second metal layersrespectively to face each other at a distance with a spacer disposedbetween the first and second metal layers; a click-detection forcesensor including a pair of second resistance patterns formed on thefirst and second metal layers respectively, a weight-bumper spacerformed on the upper polymer film, the weight-bumper spacer including afirst donut sensor portion and a first click-detection sensor portion,wherein the first donut sensor portion is formed in a ring shape and thefirst click-detection sensor portion is formed in a center of the ringshape of the first donut sensor portion, wherein the first donut sensorportion comprises a protruding bumper that protrudes toward the forcesensor; a pad formed on the weight-bumper spacer, the pad including asecond donut sensor portion and a second click-detection sensor portion,which correspond respectively to the first donut sensor portion and thefirst click-detection sensor portion; and wherein the force sensors arecircularly arranged along under the first donut sensor portion and theclick-detection force sensor is disposed under the first click-detectionsensor portion so that a user can perform a touching or rotating actionon the second donut sensor portion using a finger to move a mousecursor.
 2. The slim mouse according to claim 1, wherein the first donutsensor portion and the first click-detection sensor portion of theweight-bumper spacer are formed as a single body, or the second donutsensor portion and the second click-detection sensor portion of the padare formed as a single body.
 3. The slim mouse according to claim 1,wherein the first donut sensor portion and the first click-detectionsensor portion of the weight-bumper spacer are formed as separatebodies, or the second donut sensor portion and the secondclick-detection portion of the pad are formed as separate bodies.
 4. Amethod for manufacturing a slim mouse of claim 1, the method comprisingthe steps of: forming metal layers on an upper polymer film and a lowerpolymer film, respectively; forming multiple resistance patterns on themetal layers to form a lower pattern and an upper pattern; bonding theupper pattern and the lower pattern together such that the resistancepatterns oppose each other at a distance with a spacer disposed betweenthe upper and lower patterns, thereby forming the force sensors and theclick-detection force sensor; and forming a pad and a weight-bumperspacer on an upper surface of the upper pattern.
 5. The method accordingto claim 4, wherein the pad and the weight-bumper spacer are formed as asingle body.
 6. The method according to claim 4, wherein each of the padand the weight-bumper spacer includes a donut sensor portion and aclick-detection sensor portion provided at a center portion of the donutsensor portion.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the donutsensor portion and the click-detection sensor portion of each of the padand the weight-bumper spacer are formed as a single body.
 8. The methodaccording to claim 6, wherein the donut sensor portion and theclick-detection sensor portion of each of the pad and the weight-bumperspacer are formed as separate bodies.
 9. The slim mouse according toclaim 1, wherein the first click-detection sensor portion comprises aprotruding bumper that protrudes toward the click-detection forcesensor.